Media Contact: Kornelia Król, M.D.
President, Polish-American Medical Society in Chicago
Phone (773) 799-0544 Fax (773) 775-799-0544
For Immediate Release
January 26, 2014
Illinois Governor will receive Amicus Poloniae Award at the 65th Annual Physicians’ Ball
CHICAGO,IL. Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner will receive the title of Amicus Poloniae (“Friend of Poland”) awarded to him by the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the United States. The award ceremony will take place during the 65th Annual Physicians’ Ball organized by Polish-American Medical Society in Chicago (PASM) on Saturday, January 31, 2015 r. at the Ritz-Carlton Chicago hotel.
The title of Amicus Poloniae (“Friend of Poland”) is a distinction, established in 1996 by the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the United States, and conferred annually to United States citizens for merits in the field of Polish-American relations, especially in the popularization of achievements of Polish culture, sciences and promotion of Poland in the United States.
Consul General of the Republic of Poland in Chicago, Paulina Kapuścińska, will present the award to the Governor at the 65th Annual Physicians’ Ball.
Polish-American Medical Society in Chicago also invited Deputy Speaker of the Polish Parliament, Elżbieta Radziszewska, to visit Chicago between January 30 and February 2, 2015.
“Our goals are both to support medical professionals and to serve Chicago area Polish-American community. Our Society organizes professional events, assists medical newcomers and initiates various medical efforts benefiting the Polish-American community. We are a major supporter of numerous charitable causes through fundraising efforts,” – said Society president Kornelia Krol, M.D. With more than 400 physician members who represent many specialties, the Polish-American Medical Society is the largest Polish medical immigrant organization in the world.
Proceeds from this year’s Ball will benefit the Polish Scouting Organization of Illinois (ZHP) and help fund PAMS educational awards and scholarships to medical, dental and veterinary students of Polish origin from the Chicagoland region. Past PAMS monetary award recipients include Polish Museum of America, Lira Ensemble, Polish Arts Club, Polish-American Association, Amber Coalition and Kościuszko Foundation, among others.
This year’s Ball will welcome its Guest of Honor Krzysztof Matyjaszewski, Ph.D., Professor at the Department of Chemistry at Mellon College of Science, Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, founder and director of Center for Macromolecular Engineering. Professor Matyjaszewski is an internationally recognized polymer chemist who is highly regarded for his vision, leadership in education and his many collaborative research efforts that have yielded significant innovations in polymer chemistry. In 2009 the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has honored this Polish born chemist with the Green Chemistry Challenge Award for the development of an environmentally low-impact form of Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP), a widely used method for preparation of functional polymers. Prof. Matyjaszewski holds 142 original and derived international patents plus 51 issued U.S. patents and 36 pending U.S. patent applications. He is the author of 800 publications and 17 books, received seven Doctor Honoris Causa degrees from universities in five countries and over 20 important awards in seven countries, including the prestigious Wolf Award in Chemistry in 2011 (30 percent of its recipients are later Nobel Prize winners in chemistry). Prof. Matyjaszewski is a foreign member of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN).
Polish-American Medical Society will induct four extraordinary physicians as new Honorary Members at its 65th Annual Ball:
- Kazimierz Nowak M.D., Fellow of Royal College of Surgeons, past President of Polish Medical Society in London, active in prestigious British medical societies and Polish immigrant organizations, founder and first President of the Federation of Polish Medical Organizations Abroad;
- Ewa Elenberg, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor, Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX, pediatric nephrologist, one of the few experts on rare Cystinosis disease;
- Miroslaw Wielgos, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, head of 1st Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dean of 1st Faculty of Medicine at Warsaw Medical University in Warsaw, Poland, President of Polish Gynecological Society, internationally recognized specialist in fetal-maternal medicine and ultrasound;
- Michael Hibner, M.D., Ph.D., Professor at Creighton University School of Medicine, Director of Arizona Center for Chronic Pelvic Pain, Directory of Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic and Robotic Surgery at the St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, AZ; one of the few experts on pelvic pain and surgery for nerve damage.
Event: 65th Annual Physicians’ Ball
Time: 6:00 PM
Date: Saturday, January 31, 2015
Location: The Ritz-Carlton Chicago, 160 East Pearson Street, Chicago, IL 60611
Press Note: Media interested in covering this event can e-mail their accreditation requests to melakrol@gmail.com or call (773) 799 0544 no later than Friday, January 30, 2015
###
Polish-American Medical Society (PASM) was founded in Chicago in 1946. Throughout its 68-year history, Polish-American Medical Society has become one of the most respected organizations in the Chicago area. With over 400 physician members representing many specialties, it is the largest Polish medical immigrant organization in the world. The Society has organized professional events, assisted medical newcomers and initiated various medical efforts that benefit the Polish-American community. For more information, visit www.zlpchicago.org